Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala To Remain at Kgosi Mampuru, Case Postponed

• Attempted murder-accused and alleged cartel boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala made a brief appearance at the Pretoria Magistrates Court today
• The state has requested that Matlala continue being held at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility in Tshwane
• The case has been postponed to allow the state more time to respond to defence submissions.

GAUTENG — The high-profile case of alleged crime boss Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala returned to the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday, 20 April 2026, where Matlala made a brief appearance.

The judge has ruled that he must stay in custody at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre. The court further ordered that consultations between legal teams can still take place as ordered by the court. The case was postponed to 13 May 2026.

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At the previous court appearance, prosecutors said they are still reviewing fresh representations linked to accused number five, while defence teams argue that key documents have not been fully disclosed, slowing progress toward a pre-trial hearing.

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The case involves five accused facing 25 charges, including money laundering and multiple counts of attempted murder.

The defence lawyers accused the state of delaying tactics as the matter continues to stall.

General Mkhwanazi alleges a relationship between Matlala and the prison head.

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said on 18 March 2026 that suspected cartel boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala had a close relationship with the head of the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, where he was incarcerated. Mkhwanazi appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating corruption in the criminal justice system. Mkhwanazi was responding to a concern raised by ActionSA MP Dereleen James about how Matlala had access to cellphones and other belongings while incarcerated at a maximum security facility.

It was then that Mkhwanazi presented an eight-page letter allegedly written by a former cellmate of Cat Matlala. He said the writer of the letter alleged that Matlala had freedom inside Kgosi Mampuru II. He also claimed that Matlala was close to the head of the facility, which would explain Matlala’s ability to move around freely and obtain contraband like cellphones.

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Articles on Vusimuzi Matlala's incarceration

• Matlala was transferred to eBongweni Correctional Facility in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, on 21 December 2025. eBongweni is designed for the most problematic offenders. Inmates remain in their cells for 23 hours a day.
• Vusimuzi Matlala's case was postponed as Matlala's legal team raised concerns over his transfer from the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre (C-Max) to the super maximum eBongweni Correctional Facility in Kokstad. His lawyer, Advocate Annelene van den Heever, told the court that this greatly affected their ability to consult with her client ahead of the trial.
• Matlala was joined in the dock by twelve officers who were arrested in connection with the Medicare24 Tshwane District contract. The officers were granted bail, while Matlala remained behind bars.

Briefly News also reported that controversial entrepreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is now challenging key evidence being used against him by Parliament’s committee investigating police corruption. In a letter from his lawyer, Matlala is questioning whether text messages said to be from his devices are genuine.

Source: Briefly News